AppleSox Host HarbourCats In Game 3 Tonight

GAME 3 - NORTH DIVISION SERIES
Series tied, 1-1

First Pitch: 6:35 p.m.
Park: Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium
Tickets: applesox.com/schedule
Watch: wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv or ncwlife.com
Listen: kcsyfm.com


GAME NOTES

Wenatchee Probable Pitcher: Cam Hoiland heads to the mound after a huge night at the plate last night… The incoming senior at Cal Poly homered and drove in three runs for Wenatchee…This will be Hoiland’s second time on the mound against the HarbourCats after allowing two runs (one earned) in five innings to earn the win on July 4 at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium… Hoiland finished the regular season 1-2 with a 4.60 ERA, 19 strikeouts, 10 walks and 31 hits over 29.1 innings in seven games (six starts)…

Victoria Probable Pitcher: Jalen Sami gets the ball for the visitors for the decisive Game 3… The incoming sophomore at the University of Victoria went 1-0 with a 2.18 ERA, 10 strikeouts, one walk and seven hits over 12.1 innings in eight games... This will be his first start of 2024 and he only pitched more than two innings once, which came in his latest appearance, Aug. 7 vs. Corvallis... Sami did not allow any runs, struck out three, did not walk anyone and allowed one hit to earn the win...

Winner Moves On: The winner of tonight’s game will face the winner of the other North Division Series matchup between Bellingham and Edmonton… That series is also tied up and their Game 3 is also tonight… The North Division Championship Game is Wednesday night and the AppleSox will host it if they advance…

Last Night: Quincy Vassar went the distance, firing a complete game as the AppleSox defeated the HarbourCats, 9-1, to force Game 3 tonight… Wenatchee recovered from being walked off on Saturday by taking a lead in the second inning and then holding it the rest of the way… Vassar struck out eight, stranded nine and recorded three 1-2-3 innings…

Complete Game: Last night was Vassar’s second complete game of the summer after tossing eight innings at Bellingham June 29 in a 1-0 loss… It was also the first nine-inning complete game, regular season or postseason, for the AppleSox since Hunter Boyd July 18, 2018 vs. Portland… Vassar tossed the AppleSox’ first complete game in the postseason since Trevor Lubking gave up one run over eight innings at Corvallis in Game 2 of the 2013 WCL Championship Series, which is the last time that the AppleSox reached the final round…

Pitcher Of The Week: Vassar’s effort last night also earned him the WCL Pitcher of the Week… The 2024 WCL All-Star went 4-3 with a 2.91 ERA, 38 strikeouts, 14 walks and 47 hits over 49.1 innings in 10 games (nine starts)… Vassar is in his third season with the AppleSox and is the franchise leader in regular season innings (131.2) and strikeouts (125)… He has only allowed three runs over his last 27 innings on the bump… Vassar is the third AppleSox player to earn a WCL weekly honor this summer, joining Max Hartman (May. 31-June 2) and Evan Canfield (June 10-16).

Game 3: This is the first time that the AppleSox have played a Game 3 in the postseason since dropping Game 3 of the North Division Series Aug. 15, 2019… Victoria walked it off with an 8-7 victory, scoring three runs in the bottom of the ninth to erase a 7-5 deficit… Wenatchee scored three times, all with two outs, in the top of the ninth to overcome a 5-3 deficit and take a brief lead… The AppleSox are 3-2 all-time in Game 3’s… Two of those wins came in 2012 when Wenatchee won its last WCL title with a 6-3 win over Bellingham Aug. 13 to win the East Division Series and 8-3 Aug. 18 vs. Corvallis to win their fifth WCL Championship… All three of the AppleSox’ Game 3 victories have come at home…

Back In The Playoffs: This is the third consecutive season that the AppleSox have qualified for the WCL Postseason and the fourth time in the last five seasons… Wenatchee has made the playoffs in 16-of-its-24 seasons and is looking to win its seventh league championship this summer… The AppleSox won the Pacific International League crown in 2003 before winning the WCL title in 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2012… Head coach Mitch Darlington has qualified for the playoffs in all three seasons at the helm and his 99 regular-season victories are second-most in franchise history…

Second Half Champs: The AppleSox have guaranteed the top record in the North Division in the second half thanks to Victoria and Bellingham both losing last night… The AppleSox are 16-10 in the second half and already won the first half with an 18-9 mark… Their 34-19 overall record is third-best in the WCL behind Corvallis (41-13) and Portland (39-14)… Wenatchee has ensured that it will host the North Division Championship Game on Aug. 14 if it advances that far…